Apparatus for growing crops.



No. 803,306. I PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. W. N. PRIAULX & R. MAURICE.

APPARATUS FOR GROWING CROPS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1902.

WITNESSES: nvvauro ATTOHNE Y8.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM N. PRIAULX, OF AVONDALE, AND RICHARD MAURICE, OF SAINTS, ISLE OFGUERNSEY.

APPARATUS FOR GROWING CROPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed September 19, 1902. Serial No. 124,017.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM NICHOLAS PRIAULX, residing at Avondale,Forest parish, and RIoHARD MAURICE, residing at Saints, St. Martins,Guernsey, Channel Islands, subjects of the King of Great Britain, haveinvented new or Improved Means or Apparatus for Growing Crops, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for growing crops, such as usedeither in greenhouses or in the open, and has among its objects theprovision of a device which can be readily built up to any desiredcapacity, in which the several parts can be readily replaced whennecessary, and which is so constructed as to permit the placing thereofover hot-water pipes and to insure the proper ventilation of the same.

With these and other ends in view the invention consists in the novelfeatures and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described andclaimed. 1

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one endportion of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view ofone of the sections from which the complete apparatus is built up.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe views.

Referring to the drawings, a designates a trough consisting of sectionswhich abut each other at each end, these sections being of any desirednumber, so that the trough can be built up to any length desired. Eachof said sections, one of which is shown in Fig. 2, is longitudinallydivided into two parts provided intermediately of the height thereofwith inwardly-extending offsets a a cemented or otherwise suitablyconnected at their inner edges, as shown. In the lower side wall of eachpart (0 a is formed a recess (t -in order to permit the circulation ofair beneath the trough. The provision of said recesses thus causesanumber of legs a to be formed, upon which legs the trough is supportedat points throughout its length.

When the sections have been made up into a trough approximately of thedesired length,

end sections are added. These are also di-- vided longitudinally andformed in substantially the same manner as the other sections, exceptthat they are provided with transverse end walls a extending across theupper portion of each section, the lower portion being cut away to forma passage for hot-water pipes when it is desired to extend the samebeneath the trough.

The improved trough is preferably made from a mixture of cement of thedesired porosity. In the cement is preferablyincorporated a slowlysoluble plant-food, such as basic slag or some other form of inorganicmanure, which is assimilable by the plants growing in the trough. As thetrough is preferably made of cement, it is practically unbreakable, andthe expense of frequent renewal is thus obviated.

- The use of our improved trough permits a varied arrangement of thes'amefor instance, continuing the troughs along the whole length of thegreenhouse, afi ording thereby the best conditions for preventingoverwatering, which is furthermore prevented by the porosity of thetrough itself. Owing to the provision of the ventilating-openings and tothe fact that the trough is porous, air can pass through the soil andthe trough in all directions, thus keeping it perfectly sweet in amanner which has not been attained heretofore.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. An apparatus for growing cropscomprising aplurality of abutting trough-shaped intermediate and end sections, eachof said sections being longitudinally divided into two parts havinginwardly-extending offsets intermediate of their height, and means forconnecting the offsets of the corresponding parts.

2. An apparatus for growing crops comprising a plurality of abuttingtrough-shaped intermediate and end sections, each of said sections beinglongitudinally divided into two parts having inward] y-extending offsetsintermediate of their height, and means for connecting the correspondinglongitudinally-divided parts, said parts having recesses therein whichform legs for supporting said intermediate and end sections.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM N. PRIAULX. RICHARD MAURICE.

Witnesses:

HERBER A. LE PATOUREL, PETE J. MAUGER.

